Hysteria
by Niffs
Summary: No one knows how important Fujioka Haruhi is to the members of the Host Club, not even Haruhi herself. However, when she is inexplicably absent, they each learn just how much they care for her as they search to find her before the thunderstorm breaks.
1. Prologue

**Summary: **No one knows how important Fujioka Haruhi is to the members of the Host Club, not even Haruhi herself. However, when she is inexplicably absent, they each learn just how much they care for her as they search to find her before the thunderstorm breaks.

**Dedicated to:** IceQueenRex, for her encouragement and awesomeness 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of this, I don't get money for this, I didn't mean to pee on any copyrights, the usual.

_Author's Note:_ This is my second OHSHC fic, and it's a bit of a gamble. The chapters following the prologue will take the viewpoint of each respective character as they search for Haruhi, but the prologue is short, because... it's just a prologue. Concrit is love, flames keep my heating bills down, feedback is appreciated.

**Hysteria:**

**Prologue**

"Where is she?"

"She's late, obviously."

"_Very_ late, by the way Kyoya-senpai keeps looking at his watch-"

"- Not that he's worried, of course -"

" - Just concerned with punctuality. A late Host -"

"- Might decrease customers, right, Kyoya-senpai?"

Suou Tamaki, having asked the question that had led to the Hitachiin twins' amusement, paused. He had been pacing the luxuriously carpeted music room floor for fifteen minutes, and the movement had begun to grate on the nerves of the other Host Club members. Ootori Kyoya had indeed been monitoring his watch remarkably closely, if only to escape the sight of the Club's distressed leader; Honey had been clutching Usa-chan tightly since the pangs of uncertainty had set in, and Mori had been staring silently out the window ever since Haruhi's absence had been noticed. Only the twins were looking relaxed, watching the growing consternation of the others and smirking about it. Tamaki turned to them, red-faced, and opened his mouth to reprimand their light-hearted comments, but the Shadow King beat him to it.

"Exactly, Hikaru," he said, calmly. "While Haruhi has been late for meetings before, she has never been _this_ late. As our guests will be arriving soon, it's only practical that I look at the loss of custom from those designated to her for the day."

"_Hai, hai_," Kaoru answered, sarcasm ringing in his tone of voice. "You'll have the police looking for her in no time."

"Unless _tono_ goes out looking for her himself," added Kaoru's twin, his wicked grin directed at the blond student. Both brothers turned to watch Tamaki's reaction.

"Mori," Tamaki said, seeming not to have heard the twins at all.

Turning from the window, the older student raised an eyebrow, the slightest hint of curiosity evident in his impassive face.

"What... is the weather like?" The Club leader continued, looking contemplative. He either missed the surprised expression on the twins' faces or chose to ignore them completely.

"Cloudy," answered Mori, breaking his monosyllabic habit. "Looks like rain."

The members of the Host Club were all looking at their leader curiously, some with tilted heads, others with an inquisitve frown. Honey was the first to try interrupting Tamaki's brooding silence.

"Why, Tama-chan?"

There was a pause for so long that they were certain their foolish President had ignored the smallest member, or simply not heard him. Then -

"Because it's been warm the last few days."

The Hitachiin twins gaped at Tamaki, before bursting into peals of laughter.

"_Tono_ must be afraid Haruhi hasn't brought a sweater!" Hikaru cried, placing his hand on his forehead dramatically.

"Stop being such an idiot, Hikaru!" Shouted Tamaki, evidently losing his temper. He glared at the twin until Hikaru nodded slightly, relenting. "I think there's going to be a thunderstorm. And I'm sure Haruhi thought so too - so why didn't she come here? She wouldn't be caught outside if she thought so. She wouldn't be late voluntarily."

It was then, at last, that the twins finally understood the King's tension. Both faces sobered, and Hikaru reached for Kaoru's hand, remembering all too vividly how Haruhi reacted to thunder and lightning.

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about," Kyoya said, clearly trying to inspire calm in the rest of the Club. "But perhaps it would be best if we were to look for Haruhi. We have half an hour left until the guests arrive-"

Without a word, Tamaki had taken off, running toward the door. Slightly alarmed, Kyoya stood up, turning to see the Hitachiin brothers were in hot pursuit.

"It would be more efficient to split up -" the door was slammed back by Tamaki as he hurtled through, interrupting Kyoya without care, "- and you must return in half an hour!" He had to raise his voice as the twins barrelled through the doorway.

"Kyoya," Honey said, only his widened eyes visible over the stuffed bunny's head. "Aren't you coming to look, too?"

Mori stepped forward to linger behind Honey, waiting to follow him wherever he thought to look.

"No," the Shadow King answered unhesitatingly. "Someone must be present in case our guests arrive early."

"Okay! Takashi, let's go!"

As the pair took off with Honey in the enthusiastic lead, Kyoya adjusted his glasses and peered down at his notebook. Someone had to be there... in case Haruhi arrived.


	2. Chapter One: Sweets and Silence

**Dedication:** IceQueenRex-chan is love, and this will be repeated at the top of every chapter for emphasis.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of this, I don't get money for this, I didn't mean to pee on any copyrights, the usual.

_Author's Note:_ Yay, less dialogue - I'm not good at writing the speech and actions of six people. This is the first of the character perspective based chapters. We begin with Haninzuka Mitsukuni and Morinozuka Takashi.

**Chapter One:**

**Sweets and Silence**

"Where do you think we should look, Takashi?" Honey asked, still clutching his Usa-chan as the pair walked down the corridor. He had been worried about Haruhi when it became clear that she was going to miss the entire meeting - and then when Kyoya began to question whether she would arrive at _all_, he knew something was dreadfully wrong. His childlike eyes turned to the tall figure of his cousin, keeping in step with him but saying little.

"The reading rooms," Mori answered, curtly.

"Good idea!" Honey answered, nodding excitedly. He was trying to think of the ordeal as a treasure hunt. He liked treasure hunts. Takashi was good at figuring out clues, and Honey always had enough fun for the both of them. And of course, when treasure hunts ended, there was always cake. But... it wasn't _really_ a treasure hunt. As they turned toward the first library, Honey clung to his bunny a little more tightly.

_I hope Haru-chan's okay,_ he thought, fervently. _I hope she isn't in trouble or scared of the thunderstorm. I wish I'd brought some cake for when we find her! _

"Perhaps you could give her Usa-chan," came the stony voice of his cousin - who appeared to be reading his mind, as usual. "If she's upset."

"_Hai!_ That's what I'll do!" Honey cried, feeling a lot better. He looked up at Mori as the sombre Host reached for the door to the first reading room. "Takashi? You aren't scared, are you?"

Mori's hand paused on the doorknob momentarily.

"No," he said, simply, before turning it and waiting for Honey to enter.

The library was surprisingly crowded. Honey had barely taken a step into the room when cries of _Honey-senpai!_ greeted him, enthusiastic fangirls rushing to crowd around him. It wasn't normal for Honey to be seen in the library, as the girls swiftly pointed out, gushing questions about what had brought him there, and did he know that they had designated him for later, and was everything okay, because he looked a little upset, and they were bringing extra cake with them when they visited the Club...

Mori, on the other hand, merely poked his head into the room, trying to look past the girls clustered around a bemused Honey.

_Ack! How are we going to find Haruhi if this happens in every room?_ Honey thought, feeling decidedly sorry for himself. _Maybe we can ask these girls to help look for her! But... no. If the storm starts, she'd want to be found by one of us, not a customer._

"Mitsukuni," Mori said, at last. "We must move on."

Amid cries of _Mori-kun!_ and groans at the news of their imminent departure, Honey managed to emerge from the crowd, feeling a little bit tired with the overly warm welcome. He half-skipped to Mori's side, and turned to smile at the girls as the Hosts backed out slowly. The squeals were only slightly muffled when Mori closed the door.

"Takashi..." Honey whimpered, hugging his bunny again.

Without speaking, Mori looked down at his cousin, before putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. Honey sighed, disappointed that they hadn't found Haruhi, and hardly looking forward to the extra cake at all.

"There are three rooms left, Mitsukuni," said Mori, his quiet voice gentle. "Come."

They turned again, knowing the next reading room was practically miles away. Honey mirrored Mori's silence as they walked quickly but quietly, footsteps in unison as though measured by age and not stride. He had been trying not to think of why Haruhi was gone, just hoping she'd been caught up in something, or forgotten the time, or even felt sick and gone home - but now all the grisly scenarios that the others had been considering finally presented themselves. Haruhi, abducted by the Zuka Club; Haruhi, curled up somewhere shivering, knowing there was going to be a storm; Haruhi, being bullied by hateful boys the size of tanks... But why would anyone want to take their Haruhi away? She was _Haruhi_. No one disliked her, even if they thought she was a boy. She was too lovely. The thought that someone would steal Honey's Haru-chan - or worse, _hurt_ her - was unbearable. Even though Takashi was being as silent as always, Honey knew that he was upset, too. Maybe even more than Honey himself.

_Haru-chan is so important to us,_ he thought, his eyes filling up abruptly. _We need her. Please let her be okay._

He told himself he was worked up because Tamaki and the twins had been so over-dramatic, but the truth was that he hated the thought of an unprotected Haruhi just as much as they did, just as much as Mori did. Martial arts couldn't save her until they found her. _We have to find her!_

"How long do we have left to look, Takashi?" Honey asked, his voice trembling slightly. He looked at his cousin, eyes watery, and tried to smile when Mori touched his head briefly.

"We will look until we find her," he replied, with grave conviction.

"Good," Honey said, trying not to sniffle. Oh, he loved Takashi so much, he was _always_ there for him when he was sad or scared, just like Usa-chan. He squeezed his bunny again, walking closer to Mori and looking at the ground. Like his cousin, he would keep searching until Haruhi was found, ignoring Kyoya's firm order to return before the usual guests arrived. This seemed so much more important. The real time-limit, the one that had Tama-chan worked up so badly, was the thunderstorm. _Poor Haru-chan,_ Honey thought, dismally.

-----------

"Don't be sad, Takashi," Honey said as they left the fourth reading room. "It was still a good idea!"

Mori sighed quietly, closing the door with one hand and then setting his cousin back on his feet. He had been sure that if Haruhi had somehow lost track of time, she would be studying in one of the libraries - but in hindsight, it seemed like anything _but_ a good idea. She had complained more than once that the reading rooms were more like chatting rooms; far too noisy to get any work done. Yet he had assumed she would be there anyway. For all his keen observation, he had made a stupid mistake - and it had been half an hour already. He knew that the Vice President would have expected the search parties to be late in returning, but now that he was at a loss for where to look, he felt that perhaps he and Mitsukuni _should_ return to the music room. They could, he supposed, ask their guests to help search for Haruhi. It would be an event that they would take to like ducks to water, and Kyoya might well be pleased with that. But was it right for Haruhi? Did she need to be found, terrified, upset, by guests who thought she was a _boy_ and would probably suffocate her in trying to comfort her?

No. She didn't.

"Where shall we look now?" Honey asked, watching Mori carefully.

Where _should_ they look? Did Mori really know Haruhi as well as he'd thought, watching and listening to her day after day? It seemed that he didn't. Hikaru and Kaoru were her classmates - it made sense that they were the most likely to find her, though Tamaki was probably tearing the school apart looking for her.

"I don't know," he confessed at last, bowing his head in defeat. A moment later, he felt the small, delicate hand of his cousin close over his, squeezing in an effort to share some of his strength with his downcast cousin.

"Don't be sad," repeated Honey, firmly. "Let's find the others. They might have found her already!"

The optimism of the smaller boy gave Mori a little more heart. He raised his head and nodded once, sharply. The others knew Haruhi better. They would know where to find her. And perhaps, after learning this bitter lesson, he would try talking to Haruhi. Listening... wasn't always enough.

Honey released his hand, and they started off down another long corridor, walking purposefully. Finding the others seemed much more possible than finding the rookie. All they had to do was look for the crowds of distraught girls who had been ignored by the three Hosts who were in too much of a rush to stop and entertain them. Even as Mori thought it, he and his cousin looked ahead to see one girl sobbing, her friends patting her back and looking sorry for themselves. He estimated it would be Tamaki's work.

"And- and then he said he was sorry, but he had something _important_ to do!" Gasped the girl, her mascara sliding down her face with her tears.

"How awful!"

"Tamaki-kun said something was more important than you?"

"That's not like him!"

Then again, Mori thought as Honey hurried forward to sweetly ask where Tamaki had gone, he could learn a lot from listening, too. As Honey thanked the girls and gave him a pointed look, he stepped forward, scooping up the younger boy and nodding a silent goodbye to the slightly relieved girls.

"Tama-chan went outside," Honey said in a stage-whisper. Mori nodded, and just as they turned to make their way to the door, he heard the rain begin to fall.


	3. Chapter Two: Searching in Symmetry

**Dedication:** IceQueenRex-chan is love.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of this, I don't get money for this, I didn't mean to pee on any copyrights, the usual.

_Author's Note:_ Been having some trouble with lately, evidenced by the Prologue 'disappearing' yesterday. Kthx Anyway, I should have it under control now, but let me know if anything else is screwing up. Sorry for any inconvenience, and the upcoming OOC hell that is the Hitachiin twins. Tamaki-style depression

**Chapter Two:**

**Searching in Symmetry**

The Hitachiin twins had made for the most logical destination they could think of, running just a tiny bit slower than the speed of light. They had even overtaken Tamaki, who had then veered off wildly down a parallel corridor, for reasons best known to himself. Their steps fell in unison as they went, breathing hard, faces reflecting the same frown, eyes narrowed with determination. After only a few minutes, though it felt more like an eternity, they arrived at the classroom they had left just an hour or two before, thought it _also_ felt more like an eternity. It had also been the last time any of the Host Club had seen Haruhi - who hadn't said a word about having to do anything that would make her late. As the pair skidded to a stop, Hikaru bursting through the door breathlessly, Kaoru bent over in an effort to get his breath back.

"Is she-?"

His brother's bowed head answered his question, and Kaoru straightened, wracking his brains to think where to find her next. After all, they shared classes with Haruhi every day - surely if anyone were to find her, it would be them! Didn't they know her best?

"Kaoru," Hikaru said, turning to his twin swiftly. He looked conflicted, and his twin immediately knew what was coming.

"It isn't your fault," Kaoru interrupted, his expression turning gentle. He was still breathless, but he kept talking, sucking in air between words. "You couldn't -" _gasp_, "- have known this would -" _wheeze_, "- would happen."

"If I had just waited for Haruhi-"

"If Haruhi hadn't just gone missing-"

"But I'm still the one to blame!"

"If at all possible, could you stop being such an idiot, Hikaru?"

Hikaru had been somewhat hyperactive during their last period, itching and fidgeting uncontrollably, while the more relaxed Kaoru had been paying at least _some_ attention to the teacher. The moment the bell had rung, Hikaru had leapt up and told Kaoru that he would beat him to the music room. Kaoru, while being relatively more laidback than his twin, hadn't been about to refuse the challenge. With a quick grin at Haruhi, who was taking her time packing her things, he'd dashed off after Hikaru, with a simple "See you soon!" as they departed at high speed. _If it's anyone's fault, it's mine,_ Kaoru thought, grimly. _I should have calmed Hikaru down... or not blindly followed him... or-_

"If it's not my fault, Kaoru," came a pointed voice to interrupt the boy's bitter thoughts, "then it's not yours either, hm?"

Pulling a face at his brother, (one of his more interesting expressions, that included a stuck-out tongue and an extra dash of preserved immaturity) privately thinking that Hikaru had only said that to show off that he knew what Kaoru was privately thinking - yet poignantly reminded of how Hikaru was always there on the occasions that Kaoru needed reassurance - he turned to face the long corridor down which they had dashed.

"Now what?" He asked with a frown. _Haruhi... where would you go?_

"Now we find her," Hikaru said, recovering quickly from his disappointment. Though he looked serious, his twin could see the gleam in his eyes - the tension, but the excitement, too... upset though he may be, (Kaoru was sure of it) he was rising to the challenge. But for all that Kaoru supported Hikaru in his public declaration of Haruhi being just a toy, he knew that she meant much more to both of them than that - and certainly much more to Hikaru, from what Kaoru could see. He just hoped they would find her soon. His twin wasn't known for his patience, and if he got worked up then he would be especially hard to comfort. He never really _had_ learnt to stop throwing his feelings around. _But at least he has me for when he throws them too hard,_ Kaoru thought with a slight smile that failed to reach his eyes.

"Oh, naturally," he responded lightly, breaking into a light jog. He could feel Hikaru's eyes on him as they fell into step once more, but didn't comment. Perhaps he had underestimated how much Haruhi had meant to himself, too.

-------------------

"Oh, great," Kaoru murmured. "Wonderful."

Hikaru looked at him grim-faced as the twins stepped outside the girls' bathroom, having encountered some excitable girls who wanted to know why on earth they were there, and what on earth they were asking "Did Haruhi-kun come in here?" for. But that wasn't what had pried the sarcastic words from his worried twin's lips, and Hikaru knew it. He turned toward the nearest window, despite knowing what he would see. Kaoru followed him, and their solemn expressions were in perfect synchronicity as they watched the rain falling over the grounds of Ouran High School. Hikaru didn't react as Kaoru slipped his hand into his, but he noticed the gesture, and the pressure of his grip doubled. He remembered the last thunderstorm that Haruhi had gone missing in... finding her huddled, alone, and crying... _she was so scared..._

"Where do we look now, Hikaru?" Kaoru asked, trying - in a manner obvious to his brother - to bring Hikaru back to the present.

Hikaru didn't know. It was a feeling of futility that he abhorred - completely useless, unable to do anything... for a moment, he just wanted to return to the music room and brood - but he had to find Haruhi, because it was his fault, wasn't it? His eyes turning from the slanting rain, he looked emptily at the nearest object to hold his attention. A little mahogany table, whose entire purpose in life seemed to be 'something to put a vase of flowers on' How pointless - such showmanship in a school...

"Hikaru..." his twin's voice repeated, sounding both timid and stern. Though he knew what his brother was afraid of, he couldn't help it. Wrenching his hand from Kaoru's, he lifted the three-legged table and threw it across the hall, unheeding of the two girls watching just a few feet away. Kaoru's eyes widened, his hand shooting out to restrain his brash twin, but Hikaru waved it away.

"Kyoya-senpai -" he began, dimly realizing that such an act would get him in serious trouble with the Shadow King.

"- Need never know," Kaoru finished, trying and finally succeeding in getting a firm grip on his brother. "We could look outside... "

Neither twin had much hope for that. What would she be doing on the grounds when she could easily be inside a warm, dry building? As if to answer his brother wordlessly, though his silence had been enough, Hikaru turned again to the window, his expression bitter. Two pairs of worried eyes looked out - and widened when a flash of blond hurtled past a potted shrub. That looked like Tamaki - what was he doing?

"But she -" Hikaru started, surprised by their leader's act of idiocy. Sure, Tamaki could be a fool at times, but when it came to Haruhi, even Hikaru would have expected a _slightly_ better understanding.

"Maybe he knows something we don't," suggested Kaoru, fairly reasonably.

_Why isn't her phone turned on? _Hikaru wondered, for what felt like the hundredth time. Though he was still considering whether or not Tamaki had perceived a sudden epiphany or was just being at his most idiotic and dim, he couldn't argue that they had nowhere left to look. The cafeteria had turned up nothing, as had most of the bathrooms and classrooms. What could it hurt to follow Tamaki? He might even end up with a reason to get really angry without taking his frustration out on innocent tables just because he felt as useless as them.

"Then let's go," his twin said, apparently reading his mind just by watching his expression.

Hikaru clenched his hands into fists for a moment, gazing out in the direction their _tono_ had been running in, before nodding, decisively.

The two girls watched, mystified, as the Hitachiin brothers hurtled down the hall, making for the nearest exit.


	4. Chapter Three: Through the Rain

**Dedication:** IceQueenRex-chan is still love.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of this, I don't get money for this, I didn't mean to pee on any copyrights, the usual.

_Author's Note: _Argh, this place always messes with my A/Ns, for reasons I will never know, so let's just skip to the chapter and hope it doesn't mangle _this_ A/N too.

**Chapter Three:**

**Through the Rain**

He had never pretended to understand Haruhi. Well... all right, perhaps he had pretended he understood her a _little _better than he actually did - but he had never pretended to himself. Indeed, in hindsight, the only people he had tried to fool had been the Hitachiin twins... and perhaps Haruhi herself. He'd always had Kyoya ready to offer up assistance (and a smirk) on the subject of understanding Haruhi, and while he rather often wanted to cause extreme pain to the twins, they seemed to understand Haruhi's commoner ways surprisingly well. In short, Suou Tamaki was foolishly, hopelessly "fond" of Fujioka Haruhi, but he learned most about her from the other Hosts. Kyoya knew much about Haruhi from correspondence with her father, and the twins spent nine hours with her a day. Mori was the most keenly observant, and Honey was able to fling himself upon her at a moment's notice (that moment being a very loud _"Haru-chaaan!"_, naturally). The Host Club king had begun to wonder if perhaps he was unworthy to call himself 'Father' to Haruhi. He hardly knew her.

All of this had passed through Tamaki's mind as he had restlessly paced the music room. He had been chomping at the bit to leave and begin searching for the girl, but the patience of Kyoya and the insinuating smiles of the twins had held him back. Honey had just seemed a trifle confused. Only Mori had seemed to be taking the situation as seriously as himself, and Tamaki had clung to that notion wildly as proof that he wasn't overreacting. It was remarkable, really, for the number one Host to worry about overreacting - it was his way of life, after all - but he hadn't wanted to give anything away. Like his sudden doubts about his suitability for Haruhi, and not just as a guardian. Like his fervent wish to see her, just so he could hug her tightly (against her will, he conceded regretfully) and tell her he was glad she was all right, but if she ever scared him like that again she was going to have to find a new way to pay back her debt. Like his sudden realization that the Host Club had assimilated her so thoroughly, so completely, that it was inconceivable to think there would be a Host Club without her. Not least was the final inner confession that he was hopelessly, madly in love with a girl who didn't seem to understand the logistics of romance.

The idea had struck him while he had been worrying about all of the above. Concealing his newfound knowledge had taken every ounce of his concentration, the urge to blurt it all out and then curl up in the corner almost overtaking him. But though he was known for his frivolity, his dramatic tendencies and flamboyance, he knew how to be serious. And for all his fears and doubts, for all his shortcomings when trying to interact with her... Haruhi was one subject that Tamaki could be completely sober about. That was why he had been the first out the door to try and find her, but without so much as a farewell wave to the other Hosts. He'd had no idea where he was going, at first, and had found himself veering wildly about the building like a man possessed, his thoughts reduced to an incoherent, terrified jumble, falling over themselves with a sense of urgency.

When it had finally hit home that careening around the place was not, in fact, going to work, he'd stopped, sagging against the wall with frustrated grief. He'd thought, _"If only I knew her as well as the others."_ He'd loosened his tie and wondered if they had found her yet. He'd swallowed his grief... and used the reserve of self-confidence to spark his imagination. That was his gift, more than his good looks, more than his wealth - his imagination was what had come through for him before. It was probably the only thing that kept his head above the water in the Host Club - the only thing that kept him at the number one position.

_Haruhi is frighteningly clever,_ he'd thought, not without a twinge of fondness. _If she knew a thunderstorm were coming, she would have found an empty room by now. But then the others would have found her already._

He'd briefly wished he was as resourceful as Kyoya, wished that he was as able to solve problems. But Kyoya hadn't solved this problem either, so he shoved it to the back of his mind, not noticing the girl approaching him timidly, distancing herself from her friends.

_But that only leaves the grounds. Haruhi would never stay on the grounds if a storm was coming, she's far too smart, far too-_

"Tamaki-kun?" Interrupted a shy voice, a blushing junior smiling up at him.

_Unless... she got lost? No, stupid, how could she- the maze! THE MAZE!_

Reeling to his senses, he looked at the girl in front of him, his violet eyes wide with startled revelation.

"_Gomen! _I- there's- I've got something important to do!"

With that, he'd darted past the embarrassed customer (who he grimly acknowledged would not designate him again - perhaps he should send her some flowers when things weren't so urgent?) and snaked his way in and out of the plush corridors, down marble staircases, and onto the grounds of Ouran High School - just as the rain began to fall.

-------------------------------

Oblivious to the fact that Mori and Honey were surprisingly hot on heels, and not far behind them, pair of pursuing brothers, Tamaki raced toward the entrance to the maze, his uniform exceeding the acceptable standards of 'damp' and trespassing into the boundaries of 'well and truly soaked'. It wasn't that cold, given the stretch of hazy, warm weather, but he wouldn't have noticed if it had been. The maze was his only hope, the only place he could imagine Haruhi to be in. His heart pounded in time to his racing footsteps, and as his breath began to catch in his throat, he saw the unmistakable flash of lightning, turning the hedges ahead of him ghostly white for the merest split second. He redoubled his speed even before the thunder had time to rumble across the sky.

"Tama-chan!"

Skidding to a halt, mystified, Tamaki turned his head wildly, this way and that, trying to work out where the voice was coming from. Spinning around, he saw a figure - indiscernible at first, but as it drew closer at considerable speed, he managed to shake the water from his eyes enough to recognize it. Mori, with Honey in his arms, running with a gritty determination that was practically radiating from him. And of course, it was Honey who had shouted. Haruhi had never called him Tama-chan. He rather wished she would.

"Follow me!" He shouted back, turning around before they had quite caught up with him. The lightning cracked again, and he kicked clods of mud as he ploughed unstoppably on, entering the maze with the two seniors close behind.

"Mori-senpai! Honey-senpai! Wait for us!"

The blond Host couldn't believe his ears, and for a brief moment thought perhaps he'd mistaken a thunderclap for the voice of the Hitachiin twins. He risked a glance behind, and sure enough, the brothers were there, running alongside Mori and looking dishevelled. Whipping his head around, he took the first left, intending to get to the heart of the maze without delay. His lungs felt like they were shrinking, his breath ragged and erratic. His heart was now pounding far, far faster than his footsteps and rain was washing away the sweat on his forehead. Tamaki was far from unfit, but the mad dash across the considerable grounds of the private school was definitely beginning to take its toll. He faltered for a moment, losing speed and pitching unsteadily as he turned another corner, the smell of wet leaves cloying the air, but another flash of lightning spurred him on.

"Haruhi!"

For a moment, he wasn't sure who had shouted her name, before his lungs emitted a stab of pain and he realized it was him. Yards behind him, the Host Club members began to take up the call.

"Haru-chan!"

"Haruhi! Haruhi!"

"Haruhi!"

He couldn't keep running at this speed. He was going to die of a heart attack in the middle of a stupid maze. He should talk to his father about this maze, because it was evil. He could never again look at it with happiness or enjoy it - because he was going to die in it. _Damn this maze!_ Even as he thought it, he couldn't help but lose speed again. His legs stumbled over themselves, and he barely managed to keep them moving in a light jog. He needed to breathe so badly...

"Tama-chan!" Honey said, his light voice sounding much closer than Tamaki had expected. He turned to find the senior approaching swiftly, Mori tailing him and looking clearly relieved not to have to carry him any further. "Keep going!"

_I shouldn't have been so proud of myself,_ Tamaki thought, nodding robotically and trying to hurry up. _Looks like they all knew where to find her after all._ It was strange, but the further into the maze they progressed, the more certain Tamaki became that Haruhi was in there somewhere. He closed his eyes for a moment, his feet plunging on automatically, only to feel a hand grasping his elbow, and immediately snapped them open again. It was Mori, guiding him on without a word, just a glance. A burst of gratitude filled him, and he picked up his pace again, trying to stay at Honey's speed - easy for Honey, having been carried most of the way.

"Wait-"

"For-"

"Us!"

Hikaru and Kaoru were pushing themselves the hardest, Tamaki thought. He hadn't seen them at all before entering the maze, and now they were just mere steps behind him. He saw them as rivals for Haruhi's affection - a topic that he had ranted about at great length to Kyoya - but just then, with thunder and lightning renting the sky and his heart ready to explode, he'd never been more glad to have them around.

He would look back on it and think of that moment; of having the Host Club members crowding around him, jostling with impatience, encouraging in their own unique ways - and he would think that he managed to get to the heart of the maze because of them. The dizzying feeling of unity was one that filled his head with buzzing and made him forget how exhausted he was, and even the absence of Kyoya did nothing to dampen his resolution. He knew Kyoya better than most, and he knew Kyoya cared. At the moment, that was enough to spur him around the last corner, blinking at the centre of the maze whose layout the Hosts knew so well and slowing down. If she wasn't here...

"Haruhi," breathed Tamaki, hoarsely. He stood in the midst of the others, each pair of eyes filled with disbelief.


	5. Chapter Four: Process of Elimination

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of this, I don't get money for this, I didn't mean to pee on any copyrights, the usual.

_Author's Note: _Beware of OOC behaviour (there should be a law passed to prevent me attempting to write about Kyoya). There's one chapter to come, and possibly an epilogue, I'll have to wait and see. Also, no, this is not a Kyoya/Haruhi fic - this is free from all pairings - but if you want to read into possible subtext, do so! Lastly, thanks to everyone who reviewed - you have my eternal gratitude! - and I'm sorry about the delay.

**Chapter Four:**

**Process of Elimination**

Ootori Kyoya watched Mori and Honey leave, his lips pressed together. After a few moments, he strode to the door and closed it, his face as impassive as ever. Returning to his seat, he retrieved his notebook, opening it to the most recent page and scanning his calculations of the cost of losing a session. When Haruhi's tardiness had turned into an absence, he had swiftly begun estimating the probable losses, which he reluctantly admitted were going to be formidable. The rookie's guests wouldn't be pleased at her absence, and quite a few of them had designated her for the day - the probability of the majority of them designating a Host in her place was slim. With these calculations already tallied and complete, stretching before his eyes with repercussions he knew he couldn't plan for, he turned his attention to possible benefits. _With Haruhi's absence, the clients will grow anxious. If news spreads as fast as I think it will, designations for her will triple by next week. _Indeed, even as he speculated on the possibility, he could envision the clusters of her regular guests, all cautiously, anxiously asking her what had happened. It seemed that a temporary absence could more than compensate for the day's funding cuts.

His eyes stayed trained on his notebook as he wrote, taking careful note of every possible advantage and disadvantage. Every now and then, however, his eyes would steal over to the cellphone on the table in front of him - just briefly, as though to reassure the rest of him that he had not missed the vital call that would tell him Haruhi were all right. It was of vast import that they find her, of course. If she remained missing indefinitely then there was no way the Club would be able to recover the financial costs. Truth be told, however, there was a part of Kyoya that was anxious for Haruhi, and for less intellectual reasons than he had been considering. Turning a leaf in his notebook, he found himself writing Possible Explanations. He wasn't quite sure why he'd written the title, but after a moment of slight perplexity, he managed to catch up with his mental processes. His hand moved steadily, and it listed all the reasons Haruhi might miss an event without anyone being warned - everything from sickness and sudden bereavement to kidnapping. When the list was complete, he regarded it coldly. Several could be excluded upon simple examination. With this in mind, he picked up his cellphone, placing a call to one of the school nurses, sickness being the first on the list to be discarded. The first - but not the last.

------------------------

Half an hour had passed, excruciatingly slowly. Between phone calls, he had watched the clock, waiting for the thirty minute marker to be reached. Not a single Host Club member had returned. The merest hint of a smile twisted his compressed lips. He wasn't surprised in the slightest. Standing up, he lifted an almost - but not completely - plain sheet of paper and a thoroughly read newspaper, and opened the door to the third music room to find clients coming down the hallway, chattering excitedly. A few called out in surprise when they saw his dark figure standing at the door, but he didn't answer them. Instead, he affixed the sheet of paper to the door and stepped back to admire his handiwork. An elegant, cursive script slid gracefully across the middle, inconspicuous and neat.

_Host Club closed for the day due to urgent matters. Our sincerest apologies._

Turning toward the girls behind him, he bowed his head, looking faintly regretful.

"_Gomen nasai_, ladies."

The crisp, clean syllables fell on deaf ears as the visitors read the sign and began exclaiming loudly, wondering what the matter was. Kyoya didn't reply this time, turning instead to take the shortest route toward the maze. His process of elimination had given him more than a few good leads as to where he might find Haruhi, and he was surprised at how willing he was to do so. At any rate, there could be no Host Club meeting with only one Host - and he had no regrets about cancelling the session. Not if it meant that he might find Haruhi and put everything back in order... and the money accumulated from an increased number of curious guests wouldn't hurt, either.

_If she isn't all right, I'll be forced to triple her debt, _the Shadow King thought, ignoring the tingles of icy fear in his stomach and walking down the hallway as fast as he could.

--------------------

He reached the entrance to the maze shortly after the lightning had begun to flash, one arm securing his notebook to his chest, the other holding the newspaper above his head in a calculated effort to stop rain dripping down his glasses. He was still walking, and it was still fast, but he felt no need to hurry. The path into the maze was well-trodden and mucky, the ground utterly churned. He could accurately estimate the culprits; the group of boys who tolerated his fastidious love of order, and made fun of it, and cracked jokes about it, and appreciated it. Of course, they would never admit to the latter unless given extreme incentive, but they didn't need to. He knew. The Club would be lost without him; it would spiral into financial chaos and end with a dissolution. That was a given. The question was - and it popped into his head as he followed their trail, making a half-hearted attempt not to get his shoes muddy - would he be lost without the Club?

Voices from ahead broke into his thoughts, and the vice president quickened his steps. He took corners with precise exactitude, eyes burning from behind their lenses, water dripping down his sleeve as he clutched the soggy newspaper. It flopped a little, sending miniscule trails of water skittering off each side to mingle with the downpour that crashed around him. For several long moments, he heard nothing but the soggy ground as he strode over it, and the insistent splash of the raindrops as they assaulted the tall hedges, before finally hearing the muted strains of speech again. A map splayed itself out in his mind, and he traced the correct turns with careless ease, forcing himself not to break into a run. Everything was under control. It had to be - Tamaki would never forgive himself if it wasn't. At last, after what felt like a century of trudging through a thunderstorm with his heart somewhere in his throat, he turned the final corner.

A convenient stab of lightning revealed the scene to him, burning the sight into his memory. The Host Club crowded around something on the bare ground, something huddled. Then Mori shifted slightly, and Kyoya saw a flash of blue. Something huddled on the ground, wearing blue. It wasn't something. It was some_one_. He took a few steps forward, but faltered. The others hadn't even noticed him.

"Haruhi?"


	6. Chapter Five: Thunder and Lightning

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own any of this, I don't get money for this, I didn't mean to pee on any copyrights, please don't sue me.

_Author's Note:_ I am beyond sorry for the length of time I've made you all wait. I'm deeply afraid this chapter just isn't good enough to have waited so long for x-x But I'd like to thank everybody who read it -- especially those who added it to story alerts, because the enduring hope that I'd someday finish it gave me the motivation to. Love, as ever, to IceQueenRex, who gave me the confidence to show my fanfic to others. There will be an Epilogue to wrap things up in a nice neat anime-style bow.

**Chapter Five:**

**Thunder and Lightning**

The two seniors had started off with friendly smiles, but Haruhi had been suspicious all the same. Enthusiasm shone in their eyes a little too brightly for mere small talk, and they'd stayed by her side as she walked through the school. Crossing to the staircase that would lead to the third music room -- that was the moment when she realised she might be in trouble. They'd moved in front of her, blocked her way, their words turning dark. She didn't know why they disliked her so much, but she didn't really care, either. Instead of throwing her book-bag at them, she'd turned tail and left. The Host Club had tried to teach her a lesson before about a girl taking on two lanky guys, and some of it had been taken to heart. Still, it didn't occur to her to simply stop someone and ask for assistance. Fujioka Haruhi had spent too many years taking care of herself to instinctively allow others to do it for her.

She thought she'd lost them on the grounds. The other entrance towards the back of the main building would get her to the Club meeting just a few minutes late, and she could put the seniors out of her mind for a time. But a hand had grabbed her arm from behind, tight enough to bruise it, and they held her between them like a flimsy rag doll. Fear and anger rose in her throat, and then she _did _ask them why they were doing this. The answer was a backhanded slap, and she fell to her knees. The brown-haired guy had kicked her, but with a terrible, careless snigger, as though playing a game. Despite the pain, she knew that it _was_ some sort of game. If they'd been angry, been vengeful, she would have suffered much worse at their hands.

But the sky was rapidly darkening, and she wanted to get inside. It had been so humid recently, and the approaching clouds were so black, that the tension instilled in her by her attackers paled in comparison to the tension mounting inside her because of the sky. There was another kick aimed at her back, but it caught her book bag instead, and she took the opportunity to clamber unsteadily to her feet, swinging the battered bag into the gaunt face of the observer. The senior behind her shouted with surprise, but before he could act, Haruhi took off like a hare, intending to lose them in the maze to clear her path back to school.

When the rain started to fall, things got worse. Okay, she wasn't being beaten up by assailants unknown, but she'd rather face down the entire senior class than stay outside just then. The thunderstorm was approaching; the static in the air and the gooseflesh on her arms were ominous, obvious signs. The cries of the two attackers had already faded, and she turned to retrace her steps — but she had run propelled by panic instead of intent, and now she couldn't remember which turning to take. It was a stupid, stupid oversight, something she'd expect from Tamaki-senpai rather than herself. The rain sluiced down as she tried to find her way back, heart knocking against her ribs with every breath, as though it too were shivering with fear.

The first flash lit up the world, throwing into stark relief the dark and distant buildings. Haruhi threw herself into the mud, curling up in the middle of the path and covering her ears in the time it took for the thunderclap to boom across the sky. She couldn't even press her back against the hedge -- people were always saying that the smaller you were, the less of a lightning rod you became. Each peal of thunder shook its way through her body, tears mingling with rainwater on her face. Some tiny, logical part of her mind -- logical, but still petrified -- wanted her to just _get up_, to run for the gazebo at the centre of the maze and take cover. But she was paralysed. Cold, wet, and utterly alone. The fear that thunderstorms evoked in her was primal, complete. With every bright flash and thunderous explosion, her panic reached a sudden crescendo, subsiding only to wait for the next.

Whether it was panic or simply the noise of the thunderclaps — perhaps even both — that masked the approach, the result was the same: Haruhi heard the footsteps, but not the shouts. If the seniors were going to catch up with her, she thought she would die, because she had never been so helpless to defend herself. Besides, it would be just her luck, wouldn't it? Caught in a storm without even a blanket, choking on her own fear -- of _course_ her assailants would catch her right here, right now. Why would the universe leave things bad things alone when it could make them that much worse?

Regardless of this added trouble, Haruhi stayed in her little ball, her arms covering her head to shield her from the almost physical noise, eyes shut to block out the blinding flashes of lightning as best they could. As if she could block out the whole world, and everything in it, if she only tried hard enough. And then a hand touched her head and she flinched, her shaking doubled, waiting for the first blow, when the voices around her finally broke into her frightened reverie. They were saying her name, her first name. Confused, she raised her head, Tamaki's violet eyes coming into view, creased with worry. Behind him stood the Host Club, soaked to the skin, staring at her in silence. She held Tamaki's gaze for another second, but the lightning and thunder rolled out again, and she immediately impersonated a hedgehog.

"We should get her inside," Kaoru said, his lighter, softer voice almost lost beneath the driving rain.

Kyoya answered him sharply. "Too many people. We'll bring her to the gazebo, out of the rain."

Strong, warm arms encircled Haruhi, picking her up with ease. She was afraid to be held like this, by someone — Tamaki, judging by the cologne — so much taller and more likely to be hit by lightning, but the reassuring solidity tempered her worries. Cracking one eye open, she saw Kyoya in the lead with Mori and Honey, and a twin flanking she and Tamaki on either side. Then she shut her eyes tightly against the rage of the storm, feeling just a little braver with her friends at her side.


End file.
